Algoma Forum for Food, Farms & Tourism

You are invited to attend the Sault Ste. Marie / Algoma Forum for Food, Farms & Tourism.

March 9th, 2017 – 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at Quattro Hotel, Sault Ste. Marie

Algoma has many opportunities for promoting authentic attractions and cuisines. No matter what the season, there are many different experiences for visitors:

• Gilbertson’s Maple Products Pancake House, located on St. Joseph Island, opens March 6th 2017 to April 22nd 2017. It features tours, a maple inspired gift shop and pancakes!
• A growing number of farmers’ markets across Algoma that showcase local food, fibre and more.
• Local restaurants like Ember’s, The Mill and Red Top Inn are all showcasing local food and Quattro has just started its own farm!

There are many opportunities for additional tours out of Sault Ste. Marie to nearby locations while hotels and restaurants could add comfort and variety to the trip. Restaurants could work (more!) with local farmers to showcase Algoma flavours and products. We have many things in place to grow culinary tourism in the area, and would love to have you come out to help enrich the discussion and meet industry partners you may not have met before!

$50 which includes lunch, refreshments, networking event, workshops, planning sessions and trade show.

Facilitator

Rebecca Mackenzie, Executive Director of the Culinary Tourism Alliance will be speaking at this day of culinary networking and learning. She has been instrumental in creating tourism products like Prince Edward County’s Taste Trail and the Culinary Tourism Alliances Feast ON program. It is our hope that this day of sessions and discussion can help foster our own Algoma Brand of Culinary Tourism.

Guest Speakers

Mark Kenny, University of Guelph Hospitality Services Procurement Manager

David Thompson, RAIN Project Coordinator

Agri-food business panel

Trevor Laing (Algoma Highlands Wild Blueberry Farm & Winery), Nick Gordon (Penokean Hills Farms), Frank O’Connor (Voyageurs’ Lodge & Cookhouse)

Key Topics

The farm-to-table movement, food tourism 101, market readiness review, best practices panel and networking event.

Click here for the promotional poster.

Click here for an agenda for the day.

The forum includes breakfast and lunch as well as networking sessions for local businesses to find out more about how they can work together, or just get a general pulse of what is happening in the region.

If you would like to attend please click here to register

Please share with your networks.

Event partners include

Tourism Northern Ontario, City of Sault Ste. Marie, Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, Rural Agri-Innovation Network (SSM Innovation Centre), Algoma Country, and Agri-Food Management Institute.

This eventwas funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agriculture Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.